Dental Terminology These are terms that you will hear everyday in your dental career. I am giving you some definitions so that you can be familiar when you start school. Also, it will help you understand what you are going to be drilling on when you start dentsim. We will go over everything once you get here, but I would like for you all to be familiar with the terms. It will make it much easier for you to follow along in your classes if you recognize terms.

Typodonts a model of each arch that contains all of the teeth in the jaw. You will work with maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) typodonts in the Tooth Preparation class. Maxillary Mandibular

Tooth Types Anterior – incisors and canines Posterior – premolars and molars

Anatomic vs. Clinical Crown Anatomic crown - The part of the tooth which is covered by enamel, and extends from the occlusal surface (or incisal edge) to the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) Clinical crown - that portion of enamel visibly present in the oral cavity; the visible portion of the tooth that is occlusal to the deepest part of the gingival crevice

Tooth Structure Gingiva - gums Enamel – outer covering of crown Dentin - covered by enamel on the crown and cementum on the root and surrounds the entire pulp Pulp – contains nerve and blood supply Cementum – outer covering of root of tooth DEJ - dentin enamel junction CEJ – cementoenamel junction Gingiva - gums

Numbering of Teeth Universal System—used in clinic (#1-32) Maxillary teeth #1 – 16 starting in the patient’s upper right Mandibular teeth #17 – 32 starting in the patient’s lower left

Numbering of Teeth International (FDI) System—used in DentSim lab (#11, 21, 31, 41 for centrals)

Terminology Incisal - any surface or movement towards the biting edges of anterior teeth Occlusal - any surface or movement towards the chewing surface of posterior teeth Mesial – closest to midline Distal – farthest from midline Occlusal surfaces Mesial (of #15) Distal (of #15)

Walls of Cavity Preparation External wall - prepared cavity surface that extends to the external tooth surface and takes the name of the tooth surface (or aspect) it faces, eg. buccal wall Buccal Wall Buccal Side of Tooth

Terminology Margins - the junctions of the preparation and the external surface of the tooth

Walls of Cavity Preparation Pulpal floor Lingual Distal Buccal (Facial) – cheek side Lingual – tongue side Pulpal (floor) Gingival (floor) Axial – wall between pulpal and gingival floors Axial wall Mesial Buccal Gingival floor

Internal outline - the outline created by the pulpal floor External outline (cavosurface margin) -the preparation outline created by the outer rim of the preparation Internal outline - the outline created by the pulpal floor Preparation retention - created by placing parallel or slightly converging walls within the preparation External outline Internal outline

Internal line angle - line angle whose apex points into the tooth, eg Internal line angle - line angle whose apex points into the tooth, eg. pulpal-axial line angle Point angle - junction of three surfaces of different orientations, eg. Distobucco-occlusal point angle Internal line angle

Morphology Terminology Cusp - prominence created by the meeting of inclined surfaces on the occlusal aspect of the crown Fossa - rounded or angular depression in the occlusal enamel surface (represents the complete fusion of developmental enamel lobes) Central fossa - broad, angular depressed area in the central portion of the occlusal surface of molars

Morphology Terminology Lingual fossa - a depression in the central portion of the incisor's lingual surface Cingulum - a pronounced convexity on the gingival third of the lingual surface of an anterior tooth Mammelones - 3 minor elevations that appear at the incisal edge of a newly erupted incisor

Proximal surface – mesial or distal surface of tooth Contact area - area on the mesial or distal of a tooth that touches the adjacent tooth Proximal surface – mesial or distal surface of tooth Gingival embrasure - triangular spaces originating at the proximal contact areas between adjacent teeth called after the direction towards which they radiate Gingival papilla - soft tissue that occupies gingival embrasures Gingival papilla Gingival embrasure

Morphology Terminology Marginal ridge - elevated crest that forms the mesial and distal margins of the occlusal surface in premolars and molars

Class I preparation a preparation that involves only the occlusal surface of the tooth (pit and fissure cavity)

Class II preparation located on the proximal surfaces of the posterior teeth. Often includes the occlusal surface as well as proximal surface

Class III preparation mesial or distal surface of anterior teeth. does not involve incisal edge

Class IV preparation preparation of the proximal surface of an anterior teeth, which involves the incisal angle

You will learn about all of this terminology in great detail once you begin dental school. These are just some basic definitions that will give you a head start. In Dentsim this year we will prepare Class I, II, and III preparations on the mandibular and maxillary arches.